Volunteer Stories

We’re proud of our team and we each have a story to share about how we became involved with Ecologos / Water Docs.

Ashley

I joined Ecologos/Water Docs as a volunteer in the summer of 2019. I work in the entertainment industry and had attended one of their events a few years before, so I was familiar with their mission and brand. I had volunteered with several other cause-driven film festivals, and was wanting to support and learn more from a new organization. I appreciated their efforts to create environmental awareness and impact, particularly by sharing informative and entertaining content around water, and wanted to support their work however I could.

I believe in the power of documentary film to educate, celebrate and bring awareness to social justice issues, and I saw that as a big part of Ecologos' mission. I loved the idea of supporting the environment through storytelling and community engagement. I have always had a strong connection to water - lakes, rivers, oceans. Sitting by water, listening to it, watching it, brings a sense of peace and calm that I can't quite put into words. It's healing powers have shown up time and time again throughout my life, through my travels and experiences, and I care about protecting it now more than ever.

Water Docs is a small, passionate team of volunteers and staff who truly care about their work, the environment and connecting the community to initiatives that value the environment. They are welcoming and curious and knowledgeable about what they do. I really enjoyed sitting on the festival programming committee and having the opportunity to help shape the content for the (now postponed) 2020 film festival. I look forward to continuing my support of their programming, content and advocacy.

Suzanne

Having been introduced to Ecologos by my friend and colleague, Melanie Howe, I got involved in 2017. I'd heard about all the great things Ecologos was doing to promote its mission and it was through my connection with Melanie that I learned about a contract opportunity with the organization. Upon successful completion of that contract, I was asked to sign on as the Program Manager of the Water Docs Where-You-Live Community Screenings program and soon after that, the Assistant Festival Manager.

It wasn’t long into my first contract that I truly saw the value in the work of Ecologos. My eyes were opened to both the wonder and the disturbing realities that our water resources suffer.  I knew it was, and is, so important for more people to make a connection with water and to be inspired to protect it instead of just taking it for granted.

I’ve had many great experiences with Ecologos and the Design Team but what stands out most for me is hosting a Community Screening at the Unionville Public School where I attended as a child.  The school’s grade 7 class had participated in our Water Docs @ School Action Projects program and had attended our Student Recognition Day held at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema that year.  The students involved decided to take their experience a step further and hosted a community screening of Beyond Crisis via the Water Docs Where-You-Live program that I manage. Filmmaker Kai Reimer-Watts was invited to attend - to host both a film-making workshop prior to the screening and then a Q&A discussion session after the screening.  A school fundraiser was also tied into the event so the kids had a great time all around.  The entire circle of events was a wonderful learning experience for the students and their families and most definitely created some water stewards for life.

Through my experience with Ecologos, I have learned to be more present and truly aware of nature and the often difficult relationship that we have with her as human beings.  I’ve also learned that we as individuals can make a conscious decision to make a positive difference in our world. I truly appreciate the efforts of our entire team who work together to promote the mission of Ecologos and I look forward to working with them on future events, both online and in person, when that time returns.

Gigi

I am fairly new to the team having joined in the fall of 2019.  I am a teacher who came across Water Docs through a water-related project for students.

I think water is hugely taken for granted. As a subject in school, it often comes across as "dry" and uninteresting which is something I used to think myself. Then several years ago I took a course through an American Museum and I began to realise the complexities of human interactions with water systems and how they have become politicized.

Shortly after that, a local issue was occurring in the school community where I was teaching and this provided an opportunity for students to become involved by making a short Water Docs film. I began volunteering last year on the Design Team, uncertain regarding what if any role I might have or what I might be able to offer. That journey continues for me but my focus is the connection to education and how to bridge students' awareness, interest and activism in, for and about the environment in general and about the sacredness of water in particular.

Water is not infinite although it has been here for millennia. Any means available that will encourage humanity's collective action to take care of water is worthwhile. For some people, the realisation of the importance will be made through film. While there is urgency, I think it is important to offer hope and community so that people will feel empowered to do something. Film, I believe, provides that conduit.

I have really enjoyed meeting other interested people and developing an appreciation of what goes on "behind the scenes" to organise a film festival.  It is a welcoming community with a lot of diverse expertise.

Mary

Just one of our volunteers' stories - in her own words - about how she first became involved with the organization and why she has remained.

Patricia

I joined the Ecologos/Water Docs Design team in 2015 after being introduced by a filmmaking colleague, Sanjay Talreja, who also volunteered at that time.

A lifelong environmentalist and activist, I met Sanjay while I was a publicist at the National Film Board of Canada largely focused on issues-based documentary film. Water Docs had all the elements I was looking for in a volunteer organization - including water - the element no one can live without.

What particularly drew me to this organization was the great people who are passionate about the environment and taking action to protect it. Such a simple, powerful notion, and I want to be part of the solution to protecting water as sacred. I also believe in the power of documentary film as a powerful medium that can entertain, educate and activate people. It's a blessing to find like-minded people who are using their collective power for good. Local superheroes, if you ask me!

I’ve had some many great experiences with Ecologos/Water Docs… too many to count! Discovering great films is up there. I have sat in screenings filled with emotion and energized by fellow audience members, interacting with the filmmakers during Q&As. We also do a weekly potluck (before COVID-19!) - there are few greater expressions of friendship and love than sharing food, breaking bread and catching up. It's a real time-out of the hustle and bustle. I never took those times for granted, but miss doing this more now than I could have imagined.

One thing that I have learned is that Mother earth is fine without us - better in fact - as we've discovered during this global lockdown. I want to commune with people who are passionate about looking after this planet, and finding ways to spread the word. I've learned there are many tiny actions we can do that collectively will make a huge difference. This gives me hope for future generations. Also, we are #StrongerTogether - as we've also been reminded during COVID-19.

Any conversation about climate change is a conversation about water. We need to take #ActionForWater and we can do that from a very grassroots place, as Ecologos and Water Docs demonstrate.

More stories to come…